EVERY VOTE COUNTS!!!

So, please, pick the candidate YOU like the best, or the party YOU like the best, and

GO OUT AND VOTE!!!

After all, if you don't vote, you will have given up your right to complain about the election's results!

And that would be a shame...

‘How can a young man keep his way pure? By living according to your word.’ Psalm 119:9

Trends in society keep changing. Forty years ago, people looked down on anyone who had a relationship with someone without being married. It was taboo for girls to even talk to the boys. Clothes too were designed keeping in mind the values of that time.

Time changed and the values changed too. Suddenly, relationships are freed from all restraint. Young boys and girls have pressure from the peers to have a boyfriend or girlfriend at a very tender age. Parents are shocked but they can do nothing.

Society may change, people may change their views about something, trends may change, fashions may come and go but we have a God who never changes. His Word is the one means for those who seek to honor and revere Him to learn how to please Him. He teaches us how to live a life that is honest, pure and holy through His Word.

Life is temporary and our bodies have an expiry date. However, our soul can live forever. Our life here on earth will determine whether our soul will live forever or not. Would it be wise for us to waste our life and our soul over something that is frivolous and temporary?

Let’s seek the Lord’s guidance for all matters – even what friends we should have, the fashion trends we should follow and what food we should eat. He is the source of all wisdom, He knows what is best way for us.

Prayer:

Dear Jesus, Help me not to get caught into the ungodly trends of society. Teach me to live a life that is pleasing to you, Amen.

]]> http://mothshutup.wordpress.com/?p=368 Tue, 14 Oct 2008 11:21:52 +0000 ShutUp http://mothshutup.ro.wordpress.com/2008/10/14/change-change-poop-change/ Things change. And, things do not change.

The kingdom of Nepal is now Democratic Republic of Nepal. Change, yeah. We might get another change, as the Maoists leaders in their central committee meeting were demanding for "People's Republic of Nepal".

It's not the same CHANGE Barak Obama is dreaming about or John McCain preaching about. But it's a change nonetheless.

****

We also had a change of Kumari. So long Rubina Shakya. Three-year-old Matina Shakya will now be presiding inside the Kumari-ghar, Basantapur Kathmandu. So much for the tradition and culture. Something do not change... need not change.. may not change.

The anti-religious Maoists want to keep on alert. They do not want to provoke the Newars of the valley, twice in a row. They must have realized it when their voting pool went against them during the Indra-jatra Fiasco. So keep alert. They do not want to jeopardize their future "sure-shot" voting pool by abolishing the Living Goddesses.

The Goddesses are here to stay. The only change we will see is the face, until the next menstruation, until the Goddess is tainted, sinned, doomed! Some ten years to go. People would no longer then worship her. Neither would they touch her feet with devotion. Goddess. Tainted. Sinned. Doomed.

It was heart wrecking seeing Rubina cry.

****

We did not perform any ritualistic "sacrifice" of goats this Dashain. That's a change. Slaughtering goats at home has always been messy. Bloody messy. And the faces of the goats.

I just hate the haunting apparition of the goats. The screams. It may not be like the one Clarice Starling used to hear but at least for now, yeah I love the silence of the goats.

It's not like I am turning into a vegetarian. I believe - if you have to eat, you have to kill - animals or plants. Yes, you have to murder plants too. There's no option (unless you want to be extremely ascetic and live on fallen leaves and fruits – rishi-muni style).

Besides, I enjoy eating meat. I just don't want to hear the screams.

So, another change.

****

And, it was kind of weird not having around a Hindu King offering "tika, jamaraa and blessings" during this Dashain. Mr. Dr. President doing the job this time. Next year, we might have a Muslim president. That would be fun.

Uncle Gyanendra and Komal aunty, nevertheless, did offer "tika, jamaraa and blessings" to his loyal subjects at their son's residence. Reportedly, the queue of Uncle supporters was regally longer than the one at Mr. Dr. President's house.

Change.

****

And things do not change.

Budget Minister Bhattarai talks about radical and progressive transformation of the economy of the country in two years. In his own words – "transformation at the rate of a jumping frog". (Later, Dr. Bhattarai corrected his statement by say it was Kangaroo's rate he really meant.) And he is cocksure about donors and capitalist nations bestowing their $$benevolence$$ that would cover the half of the projected budget. Dincha dincha, sure dincha ni hamlai, desh bikash garchu bhanda dinai parcha ni – Dr Babu had assured the people.

PM Glare's China visit resulted in around 3 million US dollars. Let's see if Budget Minister's America visit exceeds the Glare's triumph. Or he returns rat-faced.

****

How about some remarkably interesting change - a wedding without “Suhaag Raat”.

64-year-old Charles Sobhraj a.k.a. the Bikini Killer a.k.a. the Serpent locked his fang with 20-year-old Bengali-Nepali Nihita Biswas inside the Central Jail. While rest of the Nepali celebrated the 10th day of Dashain, the extraordinary couple reportedly got married inside the jail premises.

May be some day the Serpent would write another autobiography about his epic love story. How they traded kisses through the steel bars. May be he would curse the jail staffers for not allowing them their "conjugal visits" privilege.

Où est des droits de l'homme. Je ne peux pas baiser ma femme. Je ne peux pas baiser ma femme.

Dream on baby, honeymoon in France!

****

Oh darn! The Electricity Adda is once again set on changing the “load shedding schedule” soon.

I think I got changophobia right now. Darn this change.

Remarkably, Brown was not caught until he made the mistake of stealing a $47,900 camera from an HBO crew and a camcorder from a CNN employee. He later tried to sell some of the items on EBay.

His haul included 66 cameras, 31 laptop computers, 20 cell phones, 17 sets of electronic games, 13 pieces of jewelry, 12 GPS devices, 11 MP3 players, eight camera lenses, six video cameras and two DVD players

If convicted, he faces up to 10 years in prison.

Passengers were suspicious when they were told in Newark to put all of their liquids in a plastic bag and all of their electronics in a bin marked Pythias.

For the full story, click here.

(October is domestic violence awareness month. My blog will focus on domestic violence from the often ignored and silent perspective - the male victim - and how organizations, politicians, and society deny men and their children the same awareness, compassion, and resources offered to women.)

Lady Madonna: Part 1

by Tim Goldich

The dark picture we have of men would lead us to believe that most child abuse is male-inflicted. In fact, the opposite is true, and by a wide margin. Women commit the vast majority of child abuse and infanticide. Of course that’s only because women perform the vast majority of childcare, nevertheless, our assumption that men are the primary perpetrators against children is emblematic of our attachment to the MB/WG paradigm.

We would hate to think that there was anything less than a Madonna in the nursery, but the facts paint a less-than-“angelic” picture. In fact, if we dare delve deep enough, in the shadows there lurks a picture of motherhood darker than any we care to know.

Before embarking down this road it is important to remind ourselves why. Why do we delve deep to reveal the darkest corners of the maternal psyche? I can answer that question with another: “Why do dads kill?,” asks the front-page headline of the Chicago Sun Times (06/25/07). In answer to that question, also from the front page, in “family-murder cases, a clear pattern emerges, experts say. The father wipes out his family simply because he’s tired of dealing with them.” Really, as simple as that? Also on the cover in a narrow-cropped photo of Christopher Vaughn, who allegedly killed his wife and three kids, eyes staring out and looking a lot like Satan. So, here on the front page of a major metropolitan newspaper we are told that dads kill their families simply because they grow weary of them. Message sent: men are evil violent scum; don’t marry a man, he’ll kill you and your children the moment he grows tired of dealing with you.

So, again, why do we delve deep to reveal the darkest corners of the maternal psyche? Because, in failing to do so, we are left with only a demonizing of men and an anglicizing of women—we are left with ManBad/WomanGood.

When Andrea Yates drowned her children in the bathtub, all five of them, one at a time, it made the cover of Newsweek (07/02/01). The headline? “‘I Killed My Children’: What Made Andrea Yates Snap?” Note how this Newsweek cover treats both Andrea Yates and what she did as unique. By contrast, in dealing with Christopher Vaughn and what he allegedly did, the Chicago Sun Times cover asks why dads kill as if to implicate all dads. It may not literally implicate all dads, but oftentimes it is the blunt message that sticks in the brain and the blunt message reads “dads kill.” Not some dads kill, or this particular dad killed, but just: “Why do dads kill?”. A headline that asked “Why do moms kill?,” would be protested accordingly.

The Newsweek cover quotes Andrea’s reply when a police officer asked, “Do you realize what you have done?” Her reply, “I killed my children,” could either be taken as cold-blooded or it could be taken as an expression of horror and remorse. What follows may nudge us toward the latter interpretation: “What made Andrea Yates snap?” Isn’t that really asking: What was Andrea Yates’ excuse? Also on the cover: “Understanding Postpartum Depression” and “Anna Quindlen on Every Mother’s Secret.” Yes, Anna “It’s not that I don’t like men; women are just better” Quindlen is asked to give her unbiased opinion on the subject [Live with Regis and Kathie Lee, CBS, 04/15/93]. So now we know what made Yates “snap” and we are given a further nudge toward an empathy interpretation of her actions.

Many will merely glance at the covers. The verdict will be obvious. Look for it and you’ll find the ManBad/WomanGood paradigm insinuating itself into our media/cultural products with a pervasiveness comparable to the way food additives are included in the products we buy at the grocery store. Comparing the two covers, the greater empathy shown a woman could not be more self-evident. Now let’s take a look inside each article starting with The Chicago Sun Times.

According to Minneapolis criminal profiler Pat Brown, men who commit “familicide” fall into one of two categories. “Some men decide to commit suicide because they are heavily in debt, have failed in their jobs or are otherwise falling apart. In a supremely selfish act, they decide to take their families with them. Those who don’t kill themselves are more likely to just want to be free, Brown said.” (Sun Times, p. 4). When a father kills we don’t ask what made him “snap.” We don’t care to know what his excuse was. He may well have been provoked in the worst way imaginable, but we’re too intent upon vilifying him to seek out that which might mitigate his guilt in some way. We are not invited to consider either his “depression” or his “stress.” In fact what we’re told explicitly precludes any possibility of redemption: “They are manipulators. They’re narcissistic, filled with grandiose thoughts. And they’re pathologic liars who blame everyone but themselves for their problems.” And there’s no end to it. “But they’re usually not insane . . . they know right from wrong” (Sun Times, p. 4). So, when it comes to fathers who kill, there can be absolutely no possibility of an “excuse.”

When the article shifts its attention to their female equivalents, however, the tone shifts dramatically. According to John Philipin, psychologist, crime profiler and author of true-crime books, “By contrast, many mothers who kill their families suffer from depression, depressive psychosis, schizophrenia and other mental illnesses” (Sun Times, Jim Ritter, “Why do dads kill? To be ‘free,’ experts say,” p. 4). Women who kill are said to suffer from these illnesses implying that even women who kill remain the victims.

The Newsweek article begins: “Andrea Yates was the ultimate caregiver—until depression and the strains of raising five children drove her to an unspeakable crime.” (p. 20). Note the air of incredulity that accompanies a heinous act when committed by a woman. “How could a mother commit such an act against nature and all morality, ending the lives she had so recently borne and nurtured. And kill them so methodically, one by one, holding them under the bath water (imagine eyes staring back) and laying them out on the bed wrapped in sheets like little Christian martyrs” (Newsweek, p. 20).

“About 200 children are killed by their mothers every year, according to Justice statistics. Sometimes moms blame the Devil. Or they think they are saving their children from a hellish life by sending them to heaven. The psychologists call these ‘altruistic killings.’ Andrea Yates was apparently suffering from a specific, diagnosable—and treatable—condition called postpartum psychosis.” (Newsweek, p. 20). It was on the basis of that diagnosis that Yates was eventually judged not guilty by reason of insanity. “Yates’ attorneys never disputed that she drowned 6-month-old Mary, 2-year-old Luke, 3-year-old Paul, 5-year-old John and 7-year-old Noah in their Houston-area home in June 2001. But they said she suffered from severe postpartum psychosis and, in a delusional state, believed Satan was inside her and was trying to save them from hell.” (“Andrea Yates Found Not Guilty By Reason Of Insanity; Will Be Committed To State Mental Hospital,” http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2006/07/26/national/main1837248.shtml, 07/26/06). So, I guess it was five of those “altruistic killings” that Yates committed?

Patricia Pearson:
By contrast, when a sample of men convicted of infanticide were surveyed in Brixton Prison in Great Britain, those who offered altruistic motivations were scoffed at. Wrote their interviewer: “The statement ‘that it was best for the children’ . . . is an expression of the fact that the perpetrator himself thought that the infanticide was the best way out—that is to say, the act was egosyntonic.” [When She Was, p. 88]

No matter what the circumstances, a father who drowned his five children one at a time couldn’t possibly be received so empathically as to have his actions labeled “altruistic.”

Newsweek quotes Andrea’s mother, the one person we would expect to love Andrea most unconditionally. “She was the most compassionate of my children. Always thinking of other people, never herself. She was always trying to care for everybody.” (Newsweek, p. 20). And follows that with a pitiful image of Andrea Yates caring for her Alzheimer’s stricken father while pregnant. “Between caring for her father and her children, it is hard to think that Andrea ever had time for herself.” (Newsweek, p. 21). True enough, however, between working/commuting 70 hours a week plus domestic and other chores expected of him, many a husband/father has no time for himself.

According to the Newsweek article, most multicide killers (i.e., men?) are coldly psychopathic. “Andrea was the opposite; if anything, she apparently cared too much. She may have felt she could never do enough for her demanding husband. In a horribly twisted way, she may have tried to be too good a mother.” (Newsweek, p. 20). Even as we’re canonizing the female killer note how we begin blaming the nearest male, her “demanding” husband. But no one blames Andrea, not even the devastated father of those five murdered children. ‘“One side of me blames her because, you know, she did it. But the other side of me says, ‘Well, she didn’t, because that wasn’t her.”’ (Newsweek, p. 20). Spoken like a typically chivalrous and infinitely magnanimous male. What wife would express such forgiveness toward a husband who did what she did?

Houston police officer Frank Stumpo: ‘“Do you realize what you have done?’ he asked her. She looked right at him and said, ‘Yes, I do.’ She told the police, ‘I killed my children.’ Stumpo looked around. The house was a mess, he thought, dirty and unkempt.” (Newsweek, p. 25). At this point Rusty had returned home but was kept out of the house presumably to protect Andrea. Asked if he wanted a glass of water, “he doubted anyone would find a clean glass in the house. Stumpo looked anyway, and couldn’t find one—until Andrea calmly pointed him to the china cabinet.” (Newsweek, p. 25).

Rusty Yates was earlier described as “demanding.” Maybe so, but if he didn’t demand housekeeping, and he didn’t demand help with the financial burdens, then perhaps he wasn’t all that demanding. Many a wife is “demanding”: demanding toughness, strength, and courage of her husband; demanding of competence, demanding of domestic chores, demanding of career success and demanding financially. Even so, if a husband/father did what Andrea Yates did, who would ever think to pin the blame on his “demanding” wife? Yet the media made every effort to vilify Rusty Yates and hold him responsible for the murder of his children.

In a follow-up article, Newsweek (04/01/02) describes Rusty’s tireless campaign on behalf of Andrea. He defended her on every show from the “Today” show, to Larry King, to Oprah. For his chivalrous efforts he faces contempt of court charges for violating a gag order. But that’s only the beginning; “as he crisscrossed the nation, simmering questions about his own accountability have boiled over.” (Newsweek, 04/01/02, p. 6).

Andrea’s mother and siblings told reporters that Rusty, a controlling husband who often downplayed his wife’s mental illness and shut them out, bears some responsibility for the tragedy. Andrea’s best friend, Deborah Holmes, did the same. On radio call-in shows, Internet chat rooms and newspaper editorial pages, the questions continue. . . . Rusty is “innocent of any criminal offense,” says his lawyer, Ed Mallet. Some legal experts, however, think that even if Yates escapes criminal charges (including contempt of court) he may have a tough time defending himself in civil court where a jury could find him partly responsible. (Newsweek, 04/01/02, p.6)

(Tim Goldich is in the process of publishing a series of books on the subject of gender issues as seen from both the female and the male perspectives. His first book, Loving Men, Respecting Women: The Future of Gender Politics, Love and Respect in the Past, Love and Respect in the Present, and Love and Respect in the Future will be released in the near future.)

Contact:

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Following a standard political response, Mahoney has asked for the House ethics committee to investigate his own behavior. This is a standard move since (1) your opponents will do so anyway and (2) the congressional ethics rules are written so loosely by the members themselves that most anything short of a murder in plain view is deemed (in the double negative world of Washington) "not unethical."

ABC News reported that Mahoney (who is married with kids) had an affair with with Patricia Allen during his campaign in 2006 and then hired her for his congressional office. He is accused of giving her $121,000 to avoid a sexual harassment lawsuit and arranging for a job with the company that handles his campaign ads.

For the full story, click here.

Correct me if I'm wrong but marriage no longer seems to be sacred and something people believe should last forever. I know there still must be people out there that values marriage as something sacred; something they know they only will do once in a lifetime....

Even the most stable of marriages seems to end after a 20 year period or so. Of course there are exceptions , but they are very hard to find. Do marriage really come with a best-before-date? Should we start to think of marriage that way or not? If so many people do get divored what then is the reason behind the fact that some people stays married for the rest of their life? Is it becuase they really love each other, based on economic reasons, laziness or something else? I would really like to know that but maybe there aren't no answer.

Maybe it is harder for someone to put their feelings aside and for instance chose to marry someone else (once or if they really are in love in someone). Then maybe I am among those unlucky or lucky people out there that still doesn't need to worry abou this. Or perhaps I should worry.... About my opinions in this matter or the lack of opinions in such an importent matter of life.

Me: "Excuse me, but you do know you're in the Quiet Zone?"

Bloke with phone: "Yes, I read the sign."

Me: "Okay... But that doesn't really explain why you were on the phone, does it?"

Bloke with annoyed look on his face: "Point taken."

Me: "Okay, then."

So now I'm sitting here, nervously expecting him at any moment to make another call, just to send a signal that he won't be told what to do by annoying Scotspersons. And what do I do then? Others in the carriage saw and heard me speak to him the first time; they'll expect me to say something, won't they?

I have a number of options if this happens:

1) Ignore him, thereby establishing beyond doubt that I am less than a man, worthy only of disdain. But then, I'm an MP, so I'm kind of used to that.

2) I could walk past his table, grab his phone, run through the train at full speed and try to flush it down the chemical toilet. This course of action could actually result in the first proper fight I've been in since 1975, not to mention the prospect of a large amount of media coverage round about the same time as my trial.

3) I could pretend I was only travelling as far as Preston and get out there.

4) I could shove a DVD into my laptop and plug in my earphones - then he could talk all he wants and I wouldn't know or care.

Any other suggestions gratefully received.

But the ISA did get a little bit of time, with MP Batu Pahat answering to questions being posed by both opposition, and also the independent MP, Ibrahim Ali.

Pakatan Rakyat MPs brought the issue of human rights to centerstage when they debated on the use of the ISA, and its relevance in today's Malaysia.

I stopped what I was doing to listen in, because Ibrahim Ali made a statement so ridiculous that I just went *gawk*.

He said something along the lines of:

"Kalau kita nak cakap pasal konsep human right, kalau betul kita nak ikutkan konsep itu, maka tak payahlah kita adakan undang-undang. Biarlah yang bawak kereta tu, bawak ikut suka mereka, sebab itu ikutkan kebebasan mereka. Itu kan right mereka."

("If we want to talk about the concept of human rights, if we really want to follow that concept, then there is no need to have laws. Let those who drive cars drive in any way they like, because it is their freedom. It is their right")

You would have had to listen to him speak to really get that he was being overly sarcastic, and trying his hardest to be silly. (Now come to think of it, I think he was actually serious. I think he actually believes that human rights is some weird concept where drivers are allowed to drive in any maniac way they like!)

I've never heard anyone equate Human Rights to Anarchy.

What I've quoted is most definitely not his exact words. But the essence of it is there. And judging from what I heard, that was the worst analogy I could ever imagine coming from someone arguing for the ISA.

A few days before I received as many emails forwarding the video of the angry mobs outside the McCain rally.  I felt a similar discomfort at the sight, a vague sense of unease and knowing that even though I disagreed with their views, it felt wrong to display these people in all their rage and ignorance.

Today a friend sent me an email containing the photo of a man above.  I asked myself, What kind of fear leads a man to become this person?  What has happened in his life that this is what he believes?

This photo is being sent around to horrified liberals, an excellent representative of the trainwreck display this election has become, but I see no one asking these simple questions, trying to understand the minds of the humans on the other side.

Every day I open my email to dozens of new notices from well-meaning friends pointing out the obvious level of new lows in this campaign.  We have gotten to the point where we take hideous and superior delight in the stumbles on the other side, react in anger at the latest new lies, and laugh and point fingers at angry right-wingers screaming and acting like lunatics.  We do this, seeming to miss the hypocrisy in our own schadenfreude.

The level of simply bad behavior is evident on both sides.  I certainly do not advocate bending over and taking it in the backside, but what about our own fundamental human decency?  Are any of us on either side able to see where the other is coming from?  Are any of us able to have some compassion?

I am especially disturbed by the videos of McCain supporters screaming hateful obscenities and photos of men like the one described above, not only because of the behavior of the people in them, but because decent people I know are forwarding them on to laugh at and criticize.  This election has turned into so much us versus them.  Each side is demonizing the other.  None of this will get us anywhere that solves any of our very large, very real problems.

We receive and pass on videos of the candidates.  See our candidate?  See how good he is? Then we get a video from the other side.  See their candidate?  See how horrible he is? And while I absolutely might agree with what is being shown, I keep coming back to the belief that all this bickering and finger-pointing is doing absolutely nothing to elevate the common good.  In fact I am afraid that all of this fighting is going to lead to an all-out war among ourselves regardless which candidate is elected.  Unless and until we actually do start seeing ourselves as part of one country in this together, until we start to recognize all our humanity, we are going to dissolve in destruction and violence.  This is a very real and frightening possibility.

I know it sounds simplistic, but it is possible to focus on the issues and get this country back on track if we all start acting with a bit more civility and stop making of fun of people who must be experiencing real inner turmoil and fear to act the way they do.  We just have to take the initiative, stop passing around hate mail, and focus on what really matters.

This morning I watched a video of Obama giving a speech at a rally in Ohio.  When he mentioned John McCain, members of the audience started to boo.  “We don’t need that,” Obama said calmly. “We just need to vote, that’s what we need to do."

Barack Obama is right.  We don't need that.  Regardless who wins this election, we all have the very real job of putting this country back together again.  We simply cannot do it if we're all fighting each other.

I once listened to a discussion about tolerance on CBC Radio. A professor lamented that one of his students had become so liberal minded that he'd refuse to stop the "evacuation" of the Jewish ghettoes because it "would not be his place" to interfere in the internal politics of a sovereign nation. "Only a university student could think that way" was the professor's final comment on the matter.

The post-graduate world is designed to specialize knowledge so that it is entirely possible for an individual to suffer more and more from tunnel vision as they get "smarter."

I once heard a college professor tell an Asian student that Chinese emperors never commanded the same power or influence as the European monarchs. I walked out. Not only was her comment wrong, ignorant, and racist, but it was also dutifully copied down in the notes of those students who didn't know better.

The question then becomes how many European History professors are certifiably expert on matters of dynastical China? If you spent half a lifetime becoming an expert on Luther, where do the Ming fit in?

I read a lot. But I rarely read more than three or four books on the same subject and Hunter S. Thompson is the only author in my collection boasting more than 10 titles. My iPod has over 8000 titles on it and nearly half of those are university lectures on a multitude of subjects. But this, itself, leads to problems.

1984's The Razor's Edge, Bill Murray's much-maligned adaptation of W. Sommerset Maugham's book, features a scene which involves the lead character (Murray) deciding whether he will keep reading his books and freeze to death on a Himalayan peak, or survive by burning his books for warmth. He can literally live (and die) in his books or live a real life without them.

There is only so much that book learning and university classes can do for us. By the time the average person finishes Remembrance of Things Past, they are 50 years older and Proust's is the only life they know. Experience without knowledge (context and meaning) is a time consuming waste. The reverse, however, is equally true: knowing the career statistics of every NHL player won't help you tie your skates, especially if you can't skate.

For myself, I will continue to walk the wavy line: spend my days packing my brain cells with as much information as I can cram in there and then spend my nights committing genocidal atrocities against those same cells. Something's got to stick before I start having problems with my short term memory.

In conclusion, something's got to stick before I start having problems with my short term memory.

Jock Young is a very important theorist when it comes to criminology.  He has been able to contribute in a variety of different ways when it comes to how we are able to define crime as a society and what the sociological elements may be when it comes to the criminal element in a region.  Many of his papers have been published in different books and journals.  From there, his work has been able to influence the thinking and direction of other criminologists’ theories and ideas.  For the most part, his work has always been about pushing forward with ideas and theories in order to determine the roots of crime and how to eliminate the criminal element from societies.

This is important because it would lead to the general well-being of a particular area, while individuals would be able to relax and not worry or stress about the level of crime or violence in the area.  Criminology, and Jock Young, revolves around the study of how crime is created and how it interacts with society.  So far, we have not been able to determine a direct cause of crime.  In order to make sure that we do, criminology constantly needs to be re-addressed and thought about from different angles in order to ensure that we are one day able to come to the correct and proper conclusions that would allow our societies to operate in a more effective and efficient manner, free of violent crime.

Different perspectives need to be used when viewing criminology in order to keep the approached to the science fresh and always evolving.  In many cases, there are a number of approaches that need to be redefined in order to make them more applicable to different societies.  It is also important that individuals who study criminology do not neglect cultural or societal differences between cultures and the crime that takes place in the area that is being studied.

While one theory may work in a specific geographical area, there are different cultural and societal aspects that may make the theory null and void in another geographic location, even if the crimes are similar in both areas.  Criminology needs to be rethought when looking at different societies in order to make sure that there are the proper distinctions placed on the culture of the crime scene.  Some other factors that may be important when looking at the ways in which the criminal element and the culture or society interacts would be in regards to gender, age and the type of crime that is being committed.  These may seem like variables in the science of studying crime and society, but there are many reasons to believe that these differences may formulate completely different outcomes as a result.

In addition, there are some people that believe it would be more applicable to look at how a person maintains a non-deviant lifestyle as opposed to how a person might become a criminal.  These are just some of the ways in which it can help to readdress criminology and crime in order to come to different conclusions about how we interact and function within the world when it comes to morals and non-deviant living.

Depending on whom you ask, a resume may be viewed as the single most important vehicle to securing your next job, or it may be viewed as an unnecessary nuisance.

In both cases, this is incorrect. A resume is a professional introduction meant to encourage a one-on-one interview situation - the opportunity for communication that can lead to a job offer.

It is a rare candidate who is hired by his or her resume alone. It is just as rare to be offered an interview without one.

A resume is often the first line of contact. It establishes a first impression of a potential job candidate's skills, background and hiring value. If written well, this impression can be a positive one, offering the reader a sense of the candidate's "fit" for the  position and company being targeted. If written really well, it may convince the reader that the job candidate is ideally suited for the job. When coupled with an effective cover letter, the resume can be a very strong marketing tool.

Preparing a resume may be seen as a nuisance, but having a well-constructed, well-designed resume is an important part of your job search. Consider that for each available job opening there may be as many as 100 to 1000 resumes submitted. If your resume fails to adequately and accurately convey your hiring value (for the specific position), fails to establish your hiring value over competing candidates, or is difficult to follow, your ability to compete against those 100 to 1000 professionals vying for the same position your are will be greatly diminished.

If your resume secures an interview, it has done its job. If it sets you ahead of the competition in the mind of your interviewer, then it has given you a distinct advantage, and has gone beyond its job.

A great resume does what all good marketing pieces do: it sells the "consumer" (the potential employer or hiring manager) on the "product" (you).

Like it or not, the job of looking for employment is a job in sales and marketing. The product you are "selling" is you, and the "customer," who has unique needs and interests, needs to be sold on the fact that you have what it takes to get the job done and to meet the needs of the position. He or she is going to want to know how you are going to solve his or her problems, and he or she is going to give your resume about 15 seconds, or less, to sell this. 15 seconds is the average time a hiring manager will allot to a new resume - before giving it a potential "yes" or "no" response.

Will your current resume succeed under these conditions?

Preparation is Key

In preparing your resume, the more you know about the position you are targeting, the better. If you know the company's missions and goals, if you understand the needs of the position, if you recognize the company’s “concerns,” and if you know who comprises the company's competition... AND you (and your unique skills and experience) can meet the needs of all the above (you have accurately assessed your own value to those who have employed you in the past), you will have the material necessary to create an effective marketing piece.

As in any type of marketing material, it is important to present the information so that it captures your customer’s interest quickly. Your goal is to encourage the reader to stay with your document as long as possible. Your chance for a more detailed reading increases when you give the reader that information which he or she most wants to secure, early in the document.

One of the best ways to accomplish this is to create a Summary Section at the beginning of your resume. A Summary Section highlights for your reader those personal and professional skills you possess that allow you to excel in your chosen field and position. Items and skills of greatest importance (from your readers' viewpoint) should be listed in priority, supporting an impression of both “fit” and potential success. In addition, these should be  aspects of your background that set you apart from your competing candidates, particularly candidates with skill sets similar to your own. You are, in effect, showing your reader how you will solve their problems - better than the competition - and why interviewing you will be a worthwhile expenditure of their time.
For Whom Are You Writing?

You are not writing your resume in order to put your career autobiography out there for posterity. This is not about you. Seriously. It is about how you can meet the needs of your reader - in this particular position at this particular company. It is all about them. During the interview is when your first opportunity for negotiation takes place and you get to discuss what you get out of the deal. But right now, the only person who matters is your reader. They hold all the marbles.
When writing your resume, keep in mind your specific reader. Listing information that will be of no value to the position or company being targeted is just a waste of time.

Check for redundancy in your statements. If the positions you have held are similar, then repeating the same functions in detail throughout your document is unnecessary (heard it, got it). However, do not short-change yourself on your accomplishments.

Your potential employer is most interested in seeing how hiring you will benefit him/her and the company. If you are dealing with a hiring manager or human resource director, you can bet he or she has a lot resting on the fact that, if you are hired, they found the right person for the job. It is expensive to hire, train, and let someone go - and it is their job to make sure this does not happen. All parties involved want to know they are making the right decision, and it is your job to assure them that they are.

The most effective way to do this is by identifying how you have benefited employers in the past. Take credit for your participation and accomplishments. While aspects of your background may seem minor or of little value to you, they may be seen as a valuable asset to those looking to fill a need.
Presentation, Presentation, Presentation

The layout of your resume is extremely important. Your resume needs to maintain a “clean” and professional appearance (remember, it is representing you!). It should allow the reader to access the information quickly. Neat margins, adequate "white space" between groupings, and indenting to highlight text, aid the ease of reference and retention of the material. Use "bolding" and italics sparingly. Overuse of these features actually diminish their effectiveness of promoting the material they are intended highlight.

Your contact information (how the reader can reach you) is essentially the most important information in the entire document. Make certain your name, address, phone number, and e-mail address (if included) are clearly visible and at the top of your document (from habit, this is where your reader will look for this information - do not make them search for it). If you are including additional pages, be certain that your name is on these secondary pages (consider including your phone number here, too) in case your sheets become separated.

The standards for resume length have changed. It used to be typical for resumes to be one-page in length, and no longer. For candidates with years of experience, having held multiple positions, or with outstanding achievements, this one-page constraint often results in a document that is unreadable, looks “squashed,” or utilizes a font size so small that the reader is required to squint (no, they won’t actually bother). The one-page standard no longer holds true.

Use as much space as you need to concisely, accurately, and effectively communicate your skills, history, achievements, and accomplishments - as these relate to the position and company being targeted. A two-page document, if presented well, will not diminish the effectiveness of your marketing strategy - as long as the information you provide is relevant and valuable to your reader’s goals and interests.

A three-page resume is requiring much of your reader's time (and patience), and may not be as effective as a more concise presentation. In academic fields and European markets, it may be necessary to go over two pages in length, but only provide this much information if you absolutely can not present your history and achievements in less (and if you are certain your reader will agree with you). An overly long presentation may leave your reader wondering if you can be concise in anything you do.

Document, in detail, your most recent 10-15 years of employment and/or experience. Longer if the most recent position extended 10 years or more. Be certain to document growth in a company where multiple positions have been held, including identification of promotions and increased responsibilities. List positions held prior to this in decreasing detail, unless a previous position more effectively documents relevant skills for the position you are currently targeting.

You want to entice you reader into wanting to meet you (the interview) to learn more. Current history and recently utilized skills will hold the most value.

Remember, you will have an opportunity to expand on the information in your resume during the interview. So, entice your reader to want to learn more, but don't forget to leave something to tell.
Photocopy, Fax, and Scan

Since you can not know what will happen to your document once it has been submitted, be certain that it can hold up to scanning, faxing or photocopying procedures. For this reason, it is also smart to bring along fresh copies of your resume to each interview. Many interview sessions are held by multiple interviewers, and each interviewer should have a clean copy of your presentation (not a photo-copied version).

The resume will not get you the job (well, it has happened, but it is extremely rare), but it can certainly secure your chances of being seen and interviewed, just as it can cause you to be passed over in favor of a candidate who offers a better presentation.

As with any type of marketing campaign, use your resume as one tool in your search. Continue to network, improve your interviewing skills, and use every avenue available to you to better your chances and opportunities.

And, after you have secured that next position, do this all over again. Always be prepared for the next opportunity. Keep your resume up-to-date and stay career fit.

If you would like information on how to structure your resume document (section-by-section) take a look at the article "Resume Basics."  View More Details Here...

Fourth tip is, "Without a proper plan, you are like a ship without a control." Without a career plan you will be blown off course by the slightest zephyr.
And the last but not least tip is that retirement is a thing of the past? Not just because people have longevity and find it hard to afford those additional years, but because we human beings have a basic need to contribute, to add value, to be a part of figure.

Education Saminars MEMORY TIPS!

Human brain is more complex than the most advanced machine, so improving human memory needs slightly more efforts. Memory is the mental activity of remembering information that you have learned or experienced.

Memory can be either short-term or long-term. In short-term memory, your mind stores information for a short period while in Long-term memory, information stores for a long period.

• Help your extrication system for sorting information by putting into categories.
• Review frequently new information the same day you heard or read it will improve memory significantly.
• Use humor or exaggeration to keep Information in memory longer if it is related to something novel and interesting.
• Try learning the information verbally, visually and kinesthetically and find which sense works best for you.
• By using highlighters, colored pens, flags and index cards, etc. you can make an better impression on your memory.
• Try to remember things as draw pictures or cartoon characters, time lines, graphical and tabular representations, chart forms etc. to support memory.
• Verbal aloud revision is an effective memory tool.

Job on click

Source: digg.com

Kids art lessons are very time consuming to prepare and many teachers feel that they lack the artistic ability or creativity to teach art. The actuality is however, that they really don't want to be creative geniuses themselves to be effective at teaching art to children in their classrooms.

Educators who think they need help with art education child development can turn to plenty of outside sources for aid. By doing now a little bit of homework themselves, teachers and parents can search people, groups, and yet companies who are ready and prepared to come to the rescue and offer a wealth of information about early childhood art education. Attractive advantage of this help can save hours of time and energy, and give a much-needed educational benefit.

Job On Click

We have heard a lot about the need to make a difference in our world. We talk about 'hope for Redlands' and we have a program for this, a process for that, we're told to read this book, and go to that seminar. Sometimes it seems there are just too many demands placed upon us: we're busy enough, right? In the end, we just don't feel qualified for this work. So we leave it to the experts.

The surprising thing is that being God's change agents may not be that complicated after all. It may not as hard as you might think, in fact it might be very simple. Sunday morning we will be find out the ingenious plan of God, and even see it at work. You can read ahead at Titus 2:1-10

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Have we over organised mission? Do people give up on evangelism because 'they haven't done the course' or read the book? Do they pass up the opportunity to tell others about Jesus because they don't have a copy of the four spiritual laws, the wordless book, or the latest tract?

Tools like that can sometimes be helpful – but something's got to be wrong when people feel powerless to tell others about Jesus if they don't have 'the tools'.

But can we ever reduce the Gospel to a four point formula or a convenient list of truths? The Gospel isn't an outline, or a diagram. The Gospel is a person, and his name is Jesus. And when Jesus lives in people he transforms them over time, and this transformational Power becomes a never ending stream of the water of life. People finds it easy to argue with a four point diagram. It is a lot harder to argue with a changed life, gracious words, selfless service, and a commitment to justice.

Chapter Ten of Don Miller's "Searching for God Knows What" – The Gospel of Jesus is a brilliant exposé of western Christianity's tendency to turn the Gospel into a formula. You really ought to read it.

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A few questions for you

One: what would need to change for your relationships to be a real context for Jesus' transformation to be seen?

Two: how could your church community help you more in this?

Three: do you have a story that would encourage others?

...feel free to leave a comment

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Series background

This Sunday's message will be the third in a series on Titus. On the surface, Titus is viewed as one of the 'pastoral letters' which Paul wrote to church leaders in Ephesus (Timothy) and Crete (Titus). They are often used as studies of church leadership, qualifications for elders and deacons, and so on.

Interestingly, the more you get into Titus the more you realise its transformational impact on culture, both then and now. This series is a shared series at RCRC, with all four preachers taking sections of the book. The unifying themes of the book are significantly wider than matters pertaining to elders and the type of person an elder should be. The more dominant theme of the book is 'goodness'. Being more than mere morality, it is the sort of goodness which, when lived out in the context of all the various relationships mentioned in the book, would have an undeniably positive impact and clearly unstoppable progression in society.

Thanks for listening!

Dave

PS. I have started publishing to my new blog. It contains musings about life, leadership, and what it means to follow Jesus. Feel free to check it out at http://davidgroenenboom.com

By their very nature, many condo complexes adhere to some of the most basic tenets of green housing: density, to maximize surrounding open space and minimize buildings’ physical and operational footprints; proximity to mass transit, given their typical location in urban areas; and reduced resource use per unit, thanks to shared systems, walls and common spaces. Builders can elect to layer on other green elements, such as high-efficiency appliances and HVAC systems, green roofs and organic landscaping.
But not all developers need to break the bank to go green on their condo and apartment projects. Two-thirds of the units in Harlem’s much-publicized 1400 Fifth Avenue building—touted as New York’s first green condominium, are considered affordable, priced at $50,000 to $104,000 and restricted to families of moderate income. Also in the New York metropolitan area, Habitat for Humanity recently announced it has assembled a green design team to build “real affordable condos” in New Rochelle and other parts of Westchester County

Here ya go Nobel committee- Bush is a sick bastard. Where's my mil-four?

This is a good article.

This capability of 1920s/1930s buildings lowered the burden on society to find and prosecute those financiers who had so damaged the lives of millions.

It'll be different this time.  The guilty (or at least complicit) parties will probably burden taxpayers even further by seeking expensive treatment for post-traumatic stress disorder.

A must see at the National Portraiture Gallery (Smithsonian - Washington D.C.). I most appreciated the Poetry & Installation. Check out Giovanni.

It’s Not a Just Situation:
Though We Just Can’t Keep Crying About It
(For the Hip Hop Nation That Brings Us Such Exciting Art)
By Nikki Giovanni

You don’t
Just wake up and brush your teeth and make up your bed
and put on your favorite pair of blue jeans

You don’t
on other evenings
Just sneak away from your sleeping lover
Just to grab a bite of Quik Stop
Just to hop a train

You don’t
Just visit the 24 hour superstore
Just to get a few cans
of spray paint
And
Just happen to have a case to put them in

You are not
Just out of yellow
So you’ll
Just shadow with grey this time
And
Just shy of metallic blue you will
Just fill in with electric orange

You are not
Just bored
Or hungry or silly or
Just crying for attention

You are
Just, if there is a
Just
Trying to be an artist

You are
Just
If there is any
Justice
Trying to find a way of not
Just surviving but living

You are just
trying to show the beautiful soul of your people
You are just
trying to say “I’m alive”
You are just
determined to be more
than what the powers who
Just hate the idea of you want you to be

You are just
trying to discover the route
of the neo underground railroad
so that your kids can
Just be free

You are just
being a man
You are just realizing
your womanhood
You are just singing and smiling
because you
Just don’t want to cry anymore

You are just
falling in love
because hatred is too hard to bear

You are just
determined
to be the very best you and
You just guess
you better not let anyone take that away

You are just
a person
with a big heart and wonderful talent

That you just
think should be shared 

Put a button on it
people

‘cause suspenders
Just
won’t
do

I also garnered much respect for the artistic expression of Kehinde Wiley, portrait artist to a hip hop generation.